Islamic State militants destroy ancient temple in Palmyra, Syria

News of the destruction of the temple of Baal Shamin, or "Lord of the Heavens," comes after last week's report that Islamic State militants publicly beheaded a renowned scholar of antiquities in Palmyra.

The Islamic State released images of the destruction of two tombs in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra in June 2015, which the Syrian government confirmed. On Aug. 23, the militants were reported to have destroyed Palmyra's temple of Baal Shamin, or "Lord of the Heavens." Photo courtesy Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums

PALMYRA, Syria, Aug. 23 (UPI) --Islamic State militants have demolished the ancient temple of Baal Shamin, or "Lord of the Heavens," in Palmyra, Syria, according to reports.

Syria's head of antiquities and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the temple was destroyed, according to the BBC.

IS militants have been known to destroy other ancient sites they have captured, notably in Mosul, Iraq, where video footage in February showed them using sledgehammers, power drills and pickaxes to destroy priceless 3,000-year-old artifacts. In March, IS forces reportedly used a bulldozer to damage the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, in northern Iraq.